Part
01
of one
Part
01
Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion Research
Hello! It is my pleasure to respond to your query in providing you with information about the Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion. For each section, I have provided statistical data along with a brief analysis to make it easy to find your “surprising and powerful facts”.
MEGAREGIONS
AtlantaFiftyForward defines megaregions as those that “claim large populations, large markets, significant economic capacity and highly-skilled work forces. They are a response to the globalization of the economy and provide access to the global marketplace. In this way, megaregions are the emerging geographic unit of global economic competition. In fact, the future of national, state and regional economies will increasingly depend on the efficient integration and operation of the systems mentioned above at the megaregional scale.”
Let’s look at the Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion in detail next to discover just what this growth – in population, employment, and economic factors – really means.
PIEDMONT ATLANTIC MEGAREGION: THE BASICS
As noted by HSR-America2050, “The Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion is characterized by a chain of loosely paced, fast-growing regions in the Southeastern United States, with auto-oriented development patterns.” It includes the following cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Birmingham, and Greenville. This region derives its name from the Piedmont, which is located between the Appalachian Mountains and the coastal plain of the Atlantic Ocean. This whole area is characterized by low, rolling hills with heights above sea level between 200 ft and 800 ft (sometimes going over 1000 ft).
America has 10 total megaregions, including this one, which, according to Revolvy, “represents over 12 percent of the total United States’ population and covers over 243,000 square miles (630,000 km2) of land.” These regions are designated as “megaregions” “because half the nation’s population growth and two-third of its economic growth is expected to occur within those regions over the next four decades.” The PAM is considered an “emergent” megaregion because it is one of the smaller of those in the US and is experiencing strong growth, and according to Revolvy, this is “the fastest growing megaregion in the United States”. TheGreenvilleMovement details that, by 2008, this region (once called “Char-Lanta”) already had become the “third largest megaregion” in the country.
One of the biggest cities in the region, Atlanta, is an “Alpha-World City” as designated by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network, as it’s a huge business and transportation hub in the New South. Charlotte is the country’s second largest financial city (America2050). The region also includes the Research Triangle area, which means it’s one of the country’s most prominent research and development centers. Upstate South Carolina (including Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg) is the fastest growing region in the state.
AtlantaFiftyForward details that, “The low cost of living and high quality of life in the Southeast are two reasons for this Megaregion’s booming population”. As it has faced significant and speedy growth, the region is facing challenges associated with its growing population, such as increased traffic congestion, runaway land consumption and inadequate infrastructure, which it hopes to address with sustainable solutions”. The area has a “collective identity and culture” that stems from its shared history and natural environmental features. This shared identity has impacted the way the 34 million people in this region live and conduct business, which has allowed them to grow to producing more than 10% of country’s GDP equaling about $1.1 trillion from 15 million jobs.
PAM: POPULATION GROWTH
According to the HSR-America2050, the current population of major PAM cities (within 25 miles of city center):
• Atlanta: 3.8 M
• Charlotte: 1.6 M
• Raleigh: 1.3 M
• Greensboro: 1 M
• Birmingham: 900K
• Greenville: 700K
• Atlanta: 46% (1,748,000) = 5.55 M
• Charlotte: 63% (1,008,000) = 2.6 M
• Raleigh: 69% = 2.2 M
• Greensboro: 27% = 1.3 M
• Birmingham: 30% = 1.2 M
• Greenville: 28% = 900K
DATA ANALYSIS: Two out six cities will more than double in population; one city will nearly double in size, and three cities will grow by nearly a third of their current populations. Currently, only two cities fall below one million in size.
Additionally, the RCLCO reports that, between 2000 and 2012, the population in this area grew by about 9.3% (migration into area). If we look at the projected growth (just discussed), we can see that this region is expected to grow significantly more than it did in the last decade. A report by America2050 details that, overall, this region is expected to see 78% population growth by 2050. Conflicting reports by experts detailed in TheGreenvilleMovment state that “some models put the general region as experiencing between 101 – 192% growth through the year 2060”.
PAM: EMPLOYMENT GROWTH & ECONOMIC OUTPUT
According to the HSR-America2050, the current employment of major PAM cities (within 25 miles of city center):
• Atlanta: 1.9 M
• Charlotte: 800K
• Raleigh: 1.1 M
• Greensboro: 1 M
• Birmingham: 500K
• Greenville: 600K
• Atlanta: 46% (874K) = 2.8 M
• Charlotte: 62% (496K) = 1.3 M
• Raleigh: 66% (726K) = 1.8 M
• Greensboro: 27% (270K) = 1.3 M
• Birmingham: 39% (195K) = 695K
• Greenville: 33% (198K) = 798K
DATA ANALYSIS: Two out of six cities are expected to see their employment numbers more than double; as with population, one city will nearly double in size, and three cities will grow by about a third of their current employment sizes. These six cities alone are projected to provide employment for nearly 8.7 M people by 2040. CityLab reports that, “With more than a trillion in economic output, its economy is bigger that South Korea’s, placing it among the world’s fifteen largest economies.”
PAM: TRANSPORTATION
Multiple interstates run through this region, including: I-85, I-20, I-95, I-40, I-74, I-77, I-26, I-75, and I-65. The regions seaport cities include Savannah, Charleston, and Wilmington. There are nine international airports in this region. Atlanta has the busiest airport in the region and the world (Revolvy), however, within this region, “Atlanta has a relatively small regional air market to destinations with in the Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion,” according to HSR-America2050. Charlotte’s airport is “the second busiest in the region,” according to Revolvy. Memphis’ airport is the “world’s busiest airport by most cargo traffic by weight annually”.
Additionally, there is a “race for high-speed rail travel” in this region, which is detailed extensively in this article by Spur.
PAM: CULTURE & TOURISM
Revolvy outlines that this region is home to 11 national professional sports teams, including football, baseball, and NASCAR. This region also includes a wide variety of major attractions, including multiple major museums, sporting attractions, theme parks, and natural / historical attractions. Atlanta hosts more than 37 million tourists each year, while Charlotte hosts over 25 million annually, according to Revolvy. Notable attractions include: Centennial Olympic Park (home of the 1996 Summer Olympics), NASCAR Hall of Fame, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and Stone Mountain Park.
The area is home to nearly a hundred colleges and universities, including such notable institutions as: Auburn University, Clemson University, Duke University, Emory University, Spelman College, Tuskegee University, Vanderbilt University, and Wake Forest University.
PAM: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Megaregions are known for experiencing significant environmental impact during their growth stages, and the Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion is no different. Rapid population and industrial expansion has led to: “Habitat fragmentation, resource depletion, pollution, erosion, and extinction” on grand levels, according to AtlantaFiftyForward. Because this region stretches out over various states and geographic regions, there are issues with shared natural resources, as well as shared responsibilities for negative environmental impacts. For example, “The Forest Service found that every major stream in the Piedmont Crescent, and most minor ones have been substantially altered and extinction rates of native species reach 83 percent in some swaths of the region and 99 percent in highly urbanized areas. This is to say nothing of the areas such as Birmingham, Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham that are, or have been, in violation of national air quality standards.” Additionally, they cite “water wars” between the states of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama that have gone on for years. As this region continues to grow, these issues are expected to get much worse.
___________________
Thank you again for your question, and I hope this information gives you what you need. Please contact Wonder again for any other questions you may have!